Recently, a friend accompanied me to a place of worship where the ceremony involved chanting, followed by meditation. After the ceremony, he turned to me and said, “Um, interesting. So, what was THAT all about?” “What do you mean?” I inquired. “All that humming and singing and that…” “Chanting?” I interrupted. He countered, “Is that what that was?”

Yes, chanting. Coming from a musical family, it’s something that I always thought everyone knew about. But, after my experience with my friend, I realized that not everyone knows what chanting is, or why people do it. Some may not even think that chanting bears writing about, but I find it fascinating that civilizations have maintained its use throughout history for everything from religious ceremony to healing to preparation for war.

History in BriefChanting has been around for over 5,000 years and is defined as the continuous recitation of mantras. Mantra is a Sanskrit word meaning, in rough translation, “to deliver the mind.” A mantra refers specifically to sacred words and syllables chanted in rituals. It is the belief of some spiritual leaders that to be most effective, a mantra has to be taught by a guru, or self-realized teacher. When an individual or group engages in chanting, it is the goal to connect their minds with the “Divine Mind” and attain a higher state of consciousness.

BasicsProbably one of the most common mantras known to us in the West, is that of “Om.” Pronounced the way it is written, it is generally heard in elongated form, with the emphasis placed on the pure “O” sound, which is focused to create a resonant tone that is then ended with the hum of the “m.” Of those who chant using “Om,” the tendency is to repeat it in a frequency that slows with each drawn breath.

Another, more modern and familiar chanting method is that which is used during church Masses today. These are prayers traditionally sung by priests, with or without musical accompaniment, and were derived from the Temple and synagogue chanting traditionally heard in worship during the time of Christ.

GuidanceIf you are new to chanting, one of the best ways to experience this mode of meditation and relaxation is to acquaint yourself with it from experienced sources. Check out chanting websites and CDs.

Chanting is another wonderful tool you can use to help de-stress your life. At some point, you may want to branch out and find organizations that practice group chanting and give that a try. It is definitely worth the experience. Namaste.